KERN COUNTY, CA-- Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood is defending his opposition to a new law signed by Governor Jerry Brown. The Governor talked to the Sheriff personally while he was in Bakersfield Tuesday, about the sheriff's opposition to enforcing the Trust Act.
"I would say he is obligated to follow state law but I would like to see what he has to say," said Brown.
The law says illegal immigrants must be charged or convicted of a serious offense for them to be placed on a 48-hour hold for immigration authorities.
"When ICE says we want that guy held we are going to hold them,” Youngblood said. “Cause I don't know why they want him. Do they want him because of crimes committed in Mexico? I don't know if they want him because he is a terrorist? I don't know what the real reason is?"
But a local immigration lawyer, Win Eaton, told 17 News on January 3 officers can't pick and choose which laws to enforce.
"You cannot go out rogue and just decide which laws of the state of California he's going to enforce or not enforce,” Eaton said. “This is not a discretionary suggestion."
Governor Brown called Sheriff Youngblood to discuss the matter.
"He told me how he felt. I told him how I felt, I was the sheriff of Kern County. I thought I had to do it the way I thought I had to do it."
Governor Brown's office released a statement Tuesday evening saying when there's a dispute regarding the interpretation of a law it's up to the courts to resolve it.
"I would say he is obligated to follow state law but I would like to see what he has to say," said Brown.
The law says illegal immigrants must be charged or convicted of a serious offense for them to be placed on a 48-hour hold for immigration authorities.
"When ICE says we want that guy held we are going to hold them,” Youngblood said. “Cause I don't know why they want him. Do they want him because of crimes committed in Mexico? I don't know if they want him because he is a terrorist? I don't know what the real reason is?"
But a local immigration lawyer, Win Eaton, told 17 News on January 3 officers can't pick and choose which laws to enforce.
"You cannot go out rogue and just decide which laws of the state of California he's going to enforce or not enforce,” Eaton said. “This is not a discretionary suggestion."
Governor Brown called Sheriff Youngblood to discuss the matter.
"He told me how he felt. I told him how I felt, I was the sheriff of Kern County. I thought I had to do it the way I thought I had to do it."
Governor Brown's office released a statement Tuesday evening saying when there's a dispute regarding the interpretation of a law it's up to the courts to resolve it.